Redskins on offense: Just when all seemed lost for Washington, starting quarterback Jason Campbell sidelined with injuries and a season of hardships spiraling into oblivion, Todd Collins became the inspirational spark to an improbable playoff run. Having not started a game in 10 years, the Walpole native guided the Redskins to four straight wins to close the regular season, completing 63.8 percent of his throws for five TDs (and zero INTs) and a 106.4 rating. Now comes the first playoff start in his 13-year career. Collins has turned Santana Moss back into a deep threat; in his last three games, Moss averaged 17.4 yards per catch (more than 4 yards better than his season average) and hauled in two of his three TD catches in 2007. However, tight end Chris Cooley has just eight catches in his last three games after averaging more than six per game in Weeks 10-14. Washington may have the league's No. 12 rushing attack (116.9 yards per game), but it also finished among the league's lower rung in yards per carry (3.8) and runs of 20 yards or more (six).
Seahawks on defense: Seattle was one of just five teams to have more INTs (20) than TD passes allowed (15), partly because of a pass rush that enables the secondary to play receivers more aggressively. Patrick Kerney (14 1/2 sacks, second in NFL) and Darryl Tapp (7 sacks) are fast on the ends and will keep the slow-footed Collins shifting in the pocket. The defense is rested (how else to explain giving up 44 points to Atlanta last weekend?) and healthy. The home crowd has always been beneficial to the Seattle defense; this season the Seahawks allowed just 13.9 points per game at Qwest Field, compared with 22.5 on the road.
Seahawks on offense: Would you believe Seattle ran the third-most plays on offense this season, just two behind the Patriots' record-setting unit and four behind New Orleans? That status is even more perplexing since the Seahawks converted just 35 percent of their third-down opportunities to finish near the bottom of the NFL. But being efficient is what Matt Hasselbeck does best. Hasselbeck, who didn't miss a game this season despite a spate of injuries that now includes a sore right wrist, quietly set personal highs with 3,966 yards and 28 TD passes, with just 12 INTs. With other receivers battling injuries or inconsistency, Bobby Engram flourished in his 12th NFL season with career bests of 94 catches, 1,147 yards, and 6 TDs - all of which were more than his previous two seasons combined. The biggest key to Seattle's postseason success is finding the right balance on the ground. Shaun Alexander can't stay healthy and has been given at least 20 carries just once since September, while Maurice Morris is faster and a better receiver.
Redskins on defense: The Redskins are No. 4 in the league in run defense. Even if you throw out last weekend's pathetic effort by Dallas (1 yard on 16 carries), Washington held the league's top rushing attack (Minnesota) to just 87 yards in the teams' biggest matchup of the season two weeks ago. The Redskins are playing inspired defense overall, and the secondary has pulled together since the death of star safety Sean Taylor. With just seven sacks in its last five games, Washington may have to go heavy on the blitz to break through Seattle's heralded offensive line. A smart, veteran linebacking crew, led by London Fletcher, will see to that.
Special teams: Few kickers in the league are as reliable as Seattle's Josh Brown. Seventeen of his career-high 28 field goals this season came from 40 yards and beyond . . . Brown's 127 points were the second most ever by a Seahawks kicker (Todd Peterson had 134 in 1999) . . . Brown finished with 13 touchbacks, among the most in the league, but his kickoffs also yielded an average return of 24.6 yards, not a flattering number . . . Shaun Suisham earned the kicking job in Redskins camp and kept it by showing surprising consistency. His 29 field goals tied for fifth most in the league . . . The Seahawks' Nate Burleson is one of the NFC's top punt returners, averaging 11.3 yards over his 58 chances.
Miscellany: The Seahawks played just two playoff teams this season, beating Tampa Bay, 20-6, in their opener and losing at Pittsburgh, 21-0, Oct. 7. The only other winning team they faced was Cleveland, a 33-30 overtime loss Nov. 4. So it will be eight weeks since Seattle faced a team that was above .500 . . . The Redskins went 2-5 against playoff teams this season, losing their first five before beating the Giants and Dallas during their season-ending four-game win streak . . . Seattle ranked fifth in the NFL with a turnover margin of plus-10 . . . Washington's Joe Gibbs is 17-6 in the postseason, tied with Don Shula for most playoff victories . . . Seattle coach Mike Holmgren has more regular-season wins than Gibbs (157 to 154), but is just 12-10 in his postseason career . . . The Seahawks are 3-1 in the playoffs at Qwest Field, including a 20-10 win over Washington in the 2005 divisional round. The loss was to St. Louis, on a late TD, in the 2004 season.
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